June is Pet Preparedness Month. This is a pretty important topic, especially in this day and age, with emergencies and natural disasters seemingly becoming more and more frequent. Of course, pet emergencies don’t necessarily have to involve a natural disaster. Accidents and injuries happen every day! Having a few things ready beforehand can make a huge difference here. A local Cherry Hill, NJ vet offers some helpful information on pet preparedness in this article.
Go-Bag
Preparedness really means being ready for anything. That includes not just things like hurricanes or floods, but also fires and other unexpected events, as well as the accidents and injuries that can happen at any time. Have a travel bag ready to go. This should include basic supplies, like food and water, as well as a pet first-aid kit. You can buy pet first-aid kits, but you can also build on one made for humans.
Information
You can have tons of instruments and products at your fingertips, but they won’t be any help if you don’t know how to use them properly. It’s also important to have the necessary information at your disposal. This includes things like maps of evacuation routes, lists of shelters and hotels that accept pets, and the addresses and info for the nearest emergency clinics. You’ll also want to add pet first-aid books or brochures, as well as copies of your pet’s medical records.
Preventative Care
Preparedness also entails keeping up with things like vaccinations and parasite control. It’s worth mentioning that the non-core vaccines can suddenly become critical in an emergency situation. For instance, bordetella is considered non-core, but is required by kennels, hotels, and other places with a potentially high doggy density. It’s better to have it and not need it, than find yourself scrambling at the last minute. Ask your vet for specific advice.
Carriers
We can’t overstate how much safer it is for pets to travel in crates or carriers. If Fido or Fluffy aren’t really used to their carrier yet, take time to work on that. Put comfy bedding inside it, and then sweeten the deal with toys, treats, and praise. It’s also a good idea to mark the carrier with some identification, such as luggage tags.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns about your pet’s health or care. Contact us, your Cherry Hill, NJ pet clinic, anytime!
